To have “childish” hobbies?

[Littleanchor]

I am 32 and I still play the sims occasionally and I love to colour. I have an assortment of different colouring pens and books and find it very relaxing to switch my mind off and do some colouring. Is this really pathetic?

They’re not my only hobbies. I also like to swim and read and go to shows and concerts, and we don’t have children so spend a lot of weekends exploring new places etc. but I almost feel ashamed of playing computer games and colouring in… my friends and colleagues are at home raising children and I’m sat colouring haha. Does anyone else have hobbies or interests that would be perceived as childish?

I have two questions that decide pretty much everything in my life.

Is it hurting anyone else?
Does it make me happy?

If the answers are no and yes respectively, it's all good.

It s a lovely thing to have a hobby. Really important I think. Much better than mindless scrolling!
I recently bought myself a sticker book- because it was all about fashion history which I love! And I’m not their target age range at all :)

Colouring books for adults are popular now and video games are definitely an adult hobby! I recently got into collecting Pokémon cards - it's a mix of scalpers trying to profit, little kids, and other 30-40 something people like me (some with their kids) 😂

I also run, lift weights, go hiking, cross-stitch, colour in and I take days off work for video game releases. Some people might say it's childish, but most of my friends are into all these things and we are all adults last I checked. Try to just enjoy what you enjoy, if someone thinks it's childish so what?

Are you enjoying it?

Crack on

I work in a highly tech job with lots of thinking - and I read utter shite for fun!

Have whatever hobbies you want! I love a bit of adult colouring and watching Disney films 🥰

Sounds perfect! I am a middle aged Mum and I very much look forward to settling down every night all cosy, after the work has been done with my colouring books and acrylic pens! I start to colour with TV on in the background, nice drink to my side and literally feel my shoulders drop! Complete bliss for an hour or two!!
You go for it!

Absolutely not. You can have whatever hobbies you want. I used to love playing the sims as an adult (just don’t have the time anymore) and I’m asking for some Calm Over Chaos colouring books and pens for my 39th birthday next month. I hope noone makes you feel ashamed because they would be very unreasonable to do so!

I'm 38 and really miss playing computer games. I wish they still updated the ones I like!

I do have a child a waaay prefer colouring in with her than the 'adult' things I do.

Crack on I say. Enjoy your time off to do the things you enjoy

I like colouring and reading.
A lot of people (including me) sometimes don't realise how much time is spent scrolling on the phone. But if I start colouring / reading I feel like I have achieved or produced something in that 30 min/ 1h
I find colouring very calming if I feel anxious and I take a colouring book and pens to keep me occupied on flights when I go on holiday.

I like gardening and collecting beautiful serveware, which are the hobbies of adults from fifty years ago.

I'm not sure what Xennial grown ups are meant to be doing in their spare time, come to think of it. Skateboarding?

I’m a Lego fan.. I have a lot of the Botanical range

Hobbies are all about relaxation and having fun. Ultimately, most of them are a bit silly when you really think about it: reading fictional stories, running places fast for no reason, throwing and kicking things. Just have fun!

According to EA, something like 60% of Sims players are women aged over 18 - so you’re not in some minority.

There are plenty of adults who game and who enjoy colouring in so you are not alone.

I game, have done for longer than you've been alive and I know people older than me who do.

Who do you think makes and plays the majority of great games?
Adults.

Gaming is a multi billion dollar industry that employs people all over the world and makes more than the music industry and Hollywood combined.

Nothing childish about it.

If you enjoy what you do, be glad you have things in your life you like.

I am the opposite I have old man hobbies. Darts and pool. Anyone who seriously judges you for your hobbies (providing they’re not causing harm) is a weirdo and not worth your time.

I have such a dreadful attention span I feel like I'm not able to really have hobbies. I do like drawing. But I'm awful at it! Whatever makes you happy, do it. As long as it's not really super dangerous obviously!

I saw a post on Instagram only yesterday from someone wearing one of those Oura rings and it showed how high their stress levels were when watching tv against how low they went when they were colouring in their colouring books. It seems to reset their brains and helps them relax.
Anyway, yanbu to enjoy your hobby. I love crochet, knitting, gardening and cross stitching and have done most of these things since my mid 20s, age is not a determiner of what hobby is acceptable. My dh is mid 50s and still loves pc gaming, something I have never got into, although I do enjoy free puzzle games on my phone

My DH sat and built Lego last night. He’s 40.

if you enjoy it it’s not silly

I’m a 35 year old with a 3 year old dd. My main hobby is gaming - I spend a lot of my evenings after dd goes to bed on an MMO. I also play bits of the sims and other games. My husband is 37 and the same - we spend our evenings in front of 2 TVs gaming together. It’s great because we can chill doing our own games but still chat and snuggle. I’m also really into indie animation.

(I also sew, do boxing and crochet and have my own business)

Are they childish hobbies? Who cares! I’m pretty happy and chilled out because I do the things I love! If something makes you happy and doesn’t hurt anyone then there’s no shame! 😊

I enjoy playing my guitar, but that can become a work-like with scales and chords to learn and practice.
So now I have started making buildings out of cardboard as well.

I’m 34 raising kids and also play sims and other games daily 🤣 you're not alone

Crack on if you enjoy it.

I do enjoy a bit of colouring and I do have some crayons and a couple of colouring books in the cupboard for when I feel the urge.

My main "childish" hobby is jigsaws.

And I have a Switch and am currently playing a Sam and Max game, but I have had to resort to a walkthrough as I got a bit stuck.

I did use to play computer games, but I damaged tendons and had to quit gaming.

I ride horses and play Xbox- have done my entire life ( well not Xbox- started out with the old ZX81)

I'm 56 and I do not give a fuck.

My main hobbies ten years ago were probably thought to be 'old woman' hobbies by some people. Things like flower gardening, crochet, and knitting. Then I moved more into quilt-making, which is also mostly thought of as another 'old woman' hobby. Now I'm mostly playing with watercolour and mixed media—but I'm not trying to paint/draw realistically, and my 'style' is pretty childish and simple. (I love whimsical illustrative art, like what you see in many children's picture books or mid-century illustrations.)

Anyway, as I get into any new hobby, I always seem to find that there's a huge range of people who enjoy it, from young to old, women, men—you name it, they're doing it. So I try not to worry what anyone will think of my hobbies, because I'm certainly not alone in my love of any of them.

(I also play Tiny Glade on my computer. So much fun! Long, long ago, I used to like building houses in The Sims, and Tiny Glade is a lot like that, but with a different style of architecture—more medieval with castles and ruins. And there are no people, just a few sheep and ducks.)

It's actually really good for stress relief and a type of meditation, you wouldn't say meditation was childish!! -

(ai over view - sorry!)
Colouring acts as a form of meditation that shifts brain waves from high-stress beta waves to calm, relaxed alpha waves. This therapeutic process, often termed "Colourtation" by Dr. Stan Rodski, uses repetitive patterns and focused, creative activity to stimulate dopamine production, reduce anxiety, and promote mindfulness.
Key insights on colouring and brain waves:

• Brainwave Shift: Colouring helps reduce "cerebral overload" (constant beta waves) by encouraging the brain to enter a calmer alpha state.
• Scientific Backing: Neuroscientific research shows that repetitive patterns, such as mandalas or geometric designs, act as a meditative tool.
• Stress Reduction: The activity lowers heart rate, decreases respiration, and alleviates tension.
• Intentionality: The process works best when there is a conscious effort to focus on the activity and select colors.

Types of Brain Waves Targeted by Activities:

• Alpha Waves (Relaxation): Encouraged by flowing, repetitive patterns.
• Beta Waves (Focus): Engaged by structured, geometric, or complex patterns.
• Theta Waves (Creativity): Stimulated by artistic,, free-form coloring.

This practice is used for cognitive improvement, stress management, and, in some cases, therapy for mental health issues.